Electrically-operated track switch



April 20,1926. 1,581,613

` v s. s. sToLP ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TRACK SWITCH Filed Dec. 20, 1923 j] 2f 1 5W@ 5570,41? Jjmy @Hartung Patented apri EQ, llflg SAMUEL S. STOLP, OF MANSEELD, O-), ASSGNOR TO TEE DHH) BRASS4 COMPANY,

or mettermi-ln, .a ooaroneriponojs new ann/snr.'

i ELEGTRCALLYl-QPERATED TRACK SWTGI-.

T 0 all fil/720m t 71mg/ concer/1i.'

Bc it known that l, SAMUEL S. S'roiir, a citizen the United States oit America, residing lilanstieldf, iii the county oit llichland and State ot Ghio, have invented certain new and useful linpreven'ients in an Electrically-Operated T 'ack Switch, o't which the 'following' is a specilication.

My invention lrelates to electrically and automatically operated track switches.

Y @ne object otl n'iy invention is to provide a system working under the well known principle et. power on or power oll' the moto-rs oit the car.

Another object ol my invention is to proltect the track switch operating;` n'ieclianisnii from a too long application ot the operating current which, it applied too long, wouldhave a tendency to injure the operating inechanisn'i.

Another object ot my invention is to provide a system to prevent the operatioiioit the system by a car 'following' the lirst car until the first car has passed over apredetermined distance beyond the switch point.`

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination and arrangeii'ient ot the various parts herein shown in the accompaiiyingl drawings and later 'fully described.

ln the drawing;` a 'coiiipanying this specilication:

Fig. l. is a schematic view showing the ai'- rangeiiient ot' the various cai' circuits which I take intoaccouiit in designing; the system.

Fig'. 2 is a solieii'iatic view showing the ai'- ranneinent of the various parts arranged toi' operatingl as set forth in the above objects.

Fig. 3 shows a i'iiodi'lication ot llig. 2 in that by throwing a hand operated switch the system can be arranged so as to give no protection to the First car settingl the system in operation against a following car, as is sometimes desired by the trade.

Referring to Figi.' l lf show a current collector or trolley wheel lll'iiiounted on a ear by means ot the trolley pole"l`. From the trolley pole to the ground extend Vseveral circuits including' therein heaters l-l, lights L and air compressor ll. Another circuit leading' 'from the trolley pole to the ground comprises therein the motors M ttor operating? the `car and a controller C by means ol' wl'n t, operator can control. the operation Application filed December 20, 1923.V Serial N'o. ei.

My system is arranged such that it the operator desires to have his car moved @straight ahead?v when he reaches a switching point, hewill throw his cont-roller to power oil position on approaching the switch, and hedesires to talze' the curve he will throw his controller to the power on position. This latter will 'permit a heavy current to flow from the current collector through the motors andl this tact I tale into account in operating' the system.

The current flowing` through the apparatus lil., L and lt1 is independent of the controller C and as this niayaii'iount to considr erable compared witli'tlie euri-ent flowing through the motors M, l must take this tact into account iii designingthe systeii'i, as-later explained.A l

, ln Fing. 2 the arrangement of the system is as Yfollows:

l employ a contact pan l which is mounted in juxtaposition to the trolley conductor l and coi'i'ipiises two contact members 2 and 3 which are normally insulated from each other and adapted to be bridged or electrically connected by the currentV collector when ei'igraged by the collector. .The collector beingl et' metal, the member 3 will be electrically connected to the contact' member 2 when the collector engages the pan at the same time the collector will be out ot engagen'ient with the trolley conductor l due to the relative arrangen'ient o'l the conductor l and the members' Q and 3. 'lhe member 3 is normally insulated 'trom tlie'trolley' conductor.

l also employ an electrically ioperated switch il which is'providedwith an operating' coil l usually composed of a comparatively itew turns of very heavy 4wire `sutlieient to carry the current safely which flows tl'ii'ough the motors M andthe number of'tturns which 'l employ is so gauged that the current lflowing,` through the apparatus il, L and F will not produce sutiicient ampere turns in the coil Ll to pick up the switch arm 5, but when the collector' engages the pan P' with fpower on the motors the heavy current flowing;l through the coil 2l will produce sufficient ampere turns to pick no the arm 5. The terminals o't the coil l connected to the trolley conductor l and to the contact member @by the conductors 1l and, l respectively thereby n ""ally aiantauiiigg ane ctricl eimnection. between the Contact member 2 and the conductor 1. Then the current collector engages the pan P with the controller turned to the power on7 position then the current will flow through the coil 1 and through the collector W to the contact member 3 and it will also flow through the pole T, the .controller O, the motors M to ground therebyenergizing the coil 4 and picking up the arm 5. i

I also employ an -electrically operated track switch S comprising solenoids 6 and 7, a plunger 8, a switch tongue 9 and a connecting member 10. One terminal of each solenoid is connected to the ground G through the Vcommon `conductor 11. -Vhen the solenoid 6 is energized the plunger 8 will be drawn inwardly and the switch tongue 9 moved to the straight ahead position and the solenoid 6 will be energized, as later explained, whenever the collector engages the pan P with power off. Whenever the solenoid 7 is energized the plunger S will be drawn outwardly thereby moving the switch tongue 9 to the curve position which is shown in F ig. 2. 'The solenoid 7 Vwill be energized whenever the collector' en gages the pan with power on the motors. The switch A is provided with two con tacts 12 and 13. The arm 5 is normally in engagement with the contact 13, which in turn is connected to the remaining terminal of the solenoid 6 by the conductor 14. The switch A is also provided with a coil 15 in which the number of turns are so proportioned that the current flowing therethrough will not produce sufficient ampere turns to raise the arm 5, but which will be sntlicient to hold the arm 5 in engagement with the contact 12 after thearm has been moved by the energizing ot the coilt, and the coil 15 will hold the arm in engagement with the contact 12 as long as cuirent is supplied to the arm 5, as later explained. One terminal of the coil 15 is connected to the contact 12 by the conductor 1G and the other terminal is connected t0 the remaining terminal of the solenoid 7 by the conductor 17.

1V also employ a switch B provided with a coil 18 and an arm` 19. One terminal` o'l the' coil 13 is connected to the contact member-3 by the conductor 20. -`The other terminal has a ground connection G through the conductors 21, 22, 23 and coil 24- of the switch O. |The windings on the coils 18 and 24 are of high resistance and many turns so asto permitV only a small energizing current to How therethrough. These coils are energized whenever the collector' engages the pan P with either power on or power off. The switch O is also provided with an arm 25, contact 25 and a coil 27. rthe coil 27 is provided with the same resistance and number ot turns as the coil 211 and it has one terminal connected to the ground through the'conductor 23 and the other terminal connected to a Dan P through the conductor 23. The pan P is provided with two contact members 29 to which the conductor 2S connects and conductor 30 which is normally connected to the trolley conductor 1 through the conductor 31. The function of the coil 27 and its connections and the pan l will ybe later explained.

The switch B is provided with a contact which is connected to the conductor 1 through the conductor The arm 19 is connected to the arm 5 through the conductor 311. lVhenever the collector engages the pan with power on or power o' the coils 18 and 24 will be energized and their respective arms will be raised into engagement with their respective contacts. As soon as the arm 19 is raised current will flow Vfrom the conductor 1 to the arm 5 and troni there to the solenoid (S or 8, depending whether the collector engages the pan with power on er power otl. It' the collector engages the pan with power ott the arm 5 will remain in engagement wita the contact 13 and the solenoid G will be energized there` by moving the switch tongue 9 to the straight ahead position. On the other hand, if the collector engages the pan P with power on the coil f1 will be energized, the arm 5 raised into engagement with the contact 12 and the coil 15 and solenoid 7 will be energized, moving the switch tongue to the straight ahead position. At the same time the energizing of the coil 15 will hold the arm 5 in engagement with the contact 12 as long as current is flowing through the solenoid 7 and this duration ot time will depend upon the duration ot time that the arm 19 engages the contact 32. 1n order to protect the coil G from too long au application ot current I provide means through the operation of the switch C to cause the switch B to open after it has been closed ior a predetermined time. If the collector passes across the pan P without stopping with either power on or power oil' the duration of time of the application of current to the traclr switch operating mechanism will not be sulliciently longto injure the same, ybut it thecollector should come to restv in contact with the pan the duration of time might be sulicient to cause the operating track switch mechanism to be injured and hence I employ the switch ll for protecting the mechanism.

As soon as the coil 211 .is energized the arm 25 is brought into engagement with the contact 26 and as the cont-act 26 connected to the conductor 21 by the conductor 35 and the arm 25 is connected to thc trolley wire through the conductors 33, 35 and 37 and the hand operated switch 38, it will be evident that when the switch C is closed I am troll-ey Aconductor 1; and the conductor 21 is also in connection with` the trolley concluem tor 1'. rIhis short circ-uiting et the coil-18 willdepriveV it ot its .current and in time the arm 19 will. drop thereby opening the circuit leading to the switch arm and depriving the track switch operating mechanism oi" current. 4lh'lhen the arm 25 engages the contact 26 in addition to short circuiting the coil 18 the coil 211 will be supplied with current directly irom the conductor which connectste the'trolley conductor and, therefore, the coil `24E will be continueusl f energized and as lone' as itis Aenergized the arni 25 will be raised and .the `coil 18 short vcircuited and the switch B remain open. f

It will be evident that liai'fing 'once closed the switch C that the system cannot aga-in be .operated regardless of the number oit cars which may engage thecontaet pan P until the switch C has been ,opened and, therefore, I must proyide means for openingy the switch C after the silvitcli C has been closed by a car setting the system in .operation. To do this, I make use `ot the coil 27, already described, and it will beevident that when a .collector enga-ges the .pan P that current is then tree 4to flow through the coil Y 27 to ground and as this Vis equally energized with Ithat .of eoilfQl, and as I connect the-se coils for differential operation, the holding effect Aof the coil 24 w-ill be idestroyed and the arm 25 will `drop ,and the system returned to normal.

The pan P is usually placed on the ape lpreach side oi' the track switch land the pan P at a. dista-nce beyond'the track switch .to

vhave safely passed the switch before the system is returned tov normal.

aided with a ina-gnetizable core, either lined or movable, as is well known in the Vfart,

.and the switch B lis provided with .a .delayed with its collector inY contact with the pan P for a time greater than the time factor of the switch B that the switch B will open and when the car starts forwardA due to the operator applying current to the motors, that while the arin 5 may be moved into engagement with the contact 12 that the track switch will not be changed on account of the switch B being open. l

It will be evident that I maintain the The switches A, P) and 4C are each pro-v switch inoperative by maintaining the switch C .closed thereby preventing operation of the switch Il while the switch C isr closed and through this operation I protect the system from being changed from .its

initial operation by the .car setting the sys-' teinin operation,whileit is in cooperative relation with vthe system, and I also prevent the system trom-being changed by acai" use ot the pan P and, therefore, the system must be arranged so that the switch C will openl atter the car has `passed thepan P and to do this IL employ the double throw hand operated switch 38 which can also connect the conductor 20 with the conductor 37 ythrough the conductor BS). Then the switchl `3 8 engages the conductor 39, as in Fig. 3,y it

will be noted that when the switch C is closed I still place a short circuit about the :coil 18 thereby cans-ing the. switch B to ,open and that current for maintaining the switch C closed is then drawn from the contact'meinber 3 in place ot tronithe trolley conductor l. This arrangement will maintain the switch C closed as long as the current collector engages the pan P so that the member 3 is energized, but soo-n as the collector leaves the pan P ne current can tlow to the coil 2a lto maintain its energization, 4and the arm 25 will open, returning the system te normal and ready tor operation 3.a 'following cai regardlessot whether ,the car has passed the ltrack switch or not, but `thissituation is usually taken care ot .by ,placing the pan P very closely to, but ,in advance oit' the track switch.

Of course, if the system is to `be used without the ,pan P at all times, then there is no need oit installing the pan P" and the coil 27 maybe omit-ted and its connections and also the conductor 37 would be perinanently connected to the conductor 39 or 20, c There are, ofcourse, many modifications which may be made in the parts and circuits ot my disclosure, but which inodiiications will still tall within the scope et my invention.

I claim:

1. A switch operating system comprising in combination, an electrically operated track switch, circuits and electrically operated means therefor to operate the track switch to the position desired, a control switch for i'irst closing and then opening one of said circuits aiter va predetermined time when the device is in use so that a current collector will lirst close said circuit and later open the same whereby the track switch is rendered operative during the time the said control switch is closed and means provided with. an operating coil directly conra track switchI operable to dierent positions,

two contact pans, a directional switch having an operating coil connected to and con-y trolled from onepan bythe motorinan on a moving vehicle when the collector thereo-n engages the pan, a branched circuit having the branches controlled by the directional switch for controlling the movement of the track switch, a control switch to open and clos said branched circuit, an electrically operated switch to control the said control switch having an operating coil energizedr from one pan to close the switch and a coil energized from the other pan to neutralize',

' track switch, a directional controlling switch,

yan electrically operated control switch protlie eliect of the iirst coil to open the switch such that when the collector engages the irst pan the electrically operated switch will close and when the collector engages the other pan the `saidswitch will open.

3. A switch operating system comprising in combination, an electrically operated track switch operable to different positions, two contact pans, a directional switch havingl an loperating coil connected to and controlled from one pan by the motorinan on a movingvehicle when the collector thereon engages the pan, a branched circuit having the branches controlled by the directional switch for controlling the movement of the track switch, an electrically operated switch provided with two operating coils to be en.- ergized in opposition to each other, circuits connecting said pans and electrically operated switch such that when the collector engages the oncjpan the electrically operated switch will be closed by energizing one of the coils and held closed thereby and when the collector engages the other pan tliesaid switch will open by energizing the other coil andneutralizing the effect yoit' the first coil to lrender the track switch inoperative between said engagements. a LA switch operating system comprising in combination, an'. electrically operated track switch, a directional switch to control circuits leading to the track switch to position the' track switch as desiredan electrically operated control switch to further control the currentsto the track switch, an electric switch having two operating coils', a contact pan and circuits so arranged that a current collector engaging the pan will close and maintain closed the Velectric switch. by energizing `one coil, another pan and circuits so arranged that a current collector engaging the pan will open the electric switch by energizing the other coil in diiierential tothe lirst coil to render 'the track switch inoperative 'between said engagements.

y 5. A switch operating system comprising in combination, an. electricallyl operated vided with an operating coil rto control an operating circuit'to ysaid directional switch, two contact pans, an electrically operated control switch provided with two operating coils, a circuit connecting the operating coil on the first said control switch and one of the operating coils'on the last said control switch in series to energize said coils', and which in turn derive current from one of the contact pans, other circuits connecting said elements so that a current collector engaging one pan will close said electrically operated control switches and the first said control switch will be shunted ont and maintain shnnted while the current collector engages said pan and thereafter and the current' collectoi` will cause'the second saidy control .In testimony whereof. I affix my signature.

[SAMUEL s.. sToLr Vswitch to open when it engages the second 

